Vemurafenib is a targeted therapy medication used primarily to treat certain types of skin cancer, specifically melanoma that has a specific mutation in the BRAF gene. This mutation leads to uncontrolled cell growth, and vemurafenib works by inhibiting the activity of the mutated BRAF protein, helping to slow down or stop the cancer's progression. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2011, vemurafenib is typically prescribed for patients with advanced or metastatic melanoma. It is taken orally in pill form and may be used alone or in combination with other treatments, depending on the patient's condition and response to therapy.